(4) YA Celebrities with Heart series. These celebrity biographies reflect on the philanthropic efforts of famous people. Each volume focuses on its subject's rise to fame and fortune, beginning with childhood and not shying away from difficult situations (e.g., McGraw's biological father, Winfrey's rape). The stock photos and choppy texts aren't all that inspiring, but the stories are. Reading list, timeline, websites. Ind. Review covers these Celebrities with Heart titles: Avril Lavigne, Hilary Duff, Oprah Winfrey, Adam Sandler, Angelina Jolie, and Tim McGraw.

Reviewer: Ashleigh Finn

(4) 4-6 People to Know Today series. Opening with a highlight or turning point in the subjects' lives (rough-and-tumble George's first experience being moved by music, "The Donald"'s first season of The Apprentice), these biographies then go back to provide information about childhood, early accomplishments, and successes in later life. Sidebars and stock photographs enhance these adequate but unexciting introductions to well-known personalities. Reading list, timeline, websites. Ind. Review covers these People to Know Today titles: George Gershwin and Donald Trump.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) 4-6 People to Know Today series. All five of these biographers write about their subjects in glowing terms. With the exception of Frost, the books offer limited, anecdote-heavy information. Many photographs, sidebars, and pull-out quotes support the texts, and their clean design makes the chronologies easy to follow. Reading list, timeline, websites. Ind. Review covers these People to Know Today titles: Laura Bush, J.K. Rowling, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Robert Frost, and George W. Bush.

Reviewer: Jeannine M. Chapman

(4) YA African-American Biographies series. These books chronicle the obstacles and accomplishments of the individuals and their contributions to America. All four provide adequate background information to establish an appropriate context; those of Drew and Terrell include frequent parenthetical definitions. The black-and-white illustrations enhance the easy-to-follow text (which may seem condescending to more accomplished readers). Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., ind. [Review covers these African-American Biographies titles: Mahalia Jackson, Mary Church Terrell, Dr. Charles Drew, and Denzel Washington.]

Reviewer: Christina Dorr

(4) YA People to Know series. Despite a pedestrian text, this biography conveys the exciting life of this innovative photographer. Bourke-White's adventures all over the world and her courageous commitment to her art provides the drama. The book is illustrated with black-and-white photos--unfortunately, too few examples of Bourke-White's work are included. A chronology, further reading suggestions, and a list of websites are appended. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) YA People to Know series. The books in this series profile an individual in texts that include career achievements and some personal information. The coverage is generally discreet, and there is very little analysis in these flatly written biographies, which are accompanied by black-and-white photos. They will probably be sufficient for report-writing students and those needing basic factual information. A time line is included. Bib., ind. [Review covers these People to Know titles: Anne McCaffrey, Steve Jobs, Billy Graham.]

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) YA African-American Biographies series. Four clearly written biographies cover major figures--two historical, two contemporary--who, despite some early difficulties, achieved major personal and professional success. Winfrey, Du Bois, and Banneker have been featured in numerous biographies, but this full-length work on Myers, which includes discussions of his books and how they came to be written, is particularly welcome. Black-and-white photos accompany the texts. Time lines are included. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) 4-6 Library of Famous Women series. Short chapters covering childhood, education, early careers, and current success are amply illustrated with color photographs. The books' casual tone is not appropriate to every topic, however. Albright particularly contains unnecessary personal information, such as her taste in jewelry and where she as U.N. ambassador hosted lunches. A list of websites is included in both books. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) YA People to Know series. Written in a dry style, this biography describes the life, career, and writing of the Pulitzer Prize-winning author who immortalized the Great Plains in books such as 'O Pioneers!' and 'My antonia'. While its black-and-white photographs are poorly reproduced and its design unappealing, the book's comprehensive coverage and emphasis on how Cather's experiences shaped her writing make it a good choice for reports. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.